Fanfolding machine



Oct. 31, 1961 J. L. LAWRENCE EIAL 3,006,634

FANFOLDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PHIL/F H. ALLEN way; I

Original Filed July 23, 1954 k iiiiil.

Oct. 31, 1961 J. L. LAWRENCE EI'AL 3,006,634

FANFOLDING MACHINE Original Filed July 23, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/Vl/E/V TOR) JOSEPH L. LAWRENCE PHIL/P H- flLLEN United States Patent F 3,006,634 FANFOLDING MACHINE Joseph L. Lawrence, San Francisco, and Philip H. Allen,

Saratoga, Calif, assignors to Cycle Equipment Com- P y Original application July 23, 1954, Ser. No. 445,342, now Patent No. 2,910,292, dated Oct. 27, 1959. Divided and this application Mar. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 800,756

7 Claims. (Cl. 27073) tricity picked up by the tape during the handling process.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fanfolding machine having a large storage capacity for tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fanfolding machine in which the tape is positively removed from the adjacent folding mechanism so as to avoid accidental pick up by the folding mechanism after the tape is discharged therefrom.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the machine.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the machine.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic plan view of the tape receiving hopper illustrating the storage of the fanfolded tape.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view partially in elevation illustrating the mounting of the folding drums and being taken generally as indicated by the line 4--4 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 4 but illustrating the drums in open condition for insertion or removal of the tape.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the means for adjusting the drums between open and closed position.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, but showing the parts adjusted to be open for removal of tape.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the eccentrically mounted bearing used in making the adjustment to open condition.

The fanfolding mechanism is of the general type disclosed in the patent to Campbell, 1,959,409, dated May 22, 1934, as modified in the co-pending application of Philip H. Allen, Serial No. 232,189, filed June 18, 1951, now US. Patent No. 2,859,961.

The machine includes generally a cast main frame 10 having housed therein at one end a pair of folding drums 11 and 12 carried by respective shafts 13 and 14. The shafts 13 and 14 have mounted thereon intermeshing gears 16, one of which meshes with the drive pinion 17 of a suitable electric motor 18. The direction of drive is such that the two drums 11 and 12 rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 1. Each drum has a tucking blade 21 suitably pivoted therein at 22 and urged by a spring 23 for clockwise movement, and also a creasing blade 34 suitably pivoted therein at 35 and urged counter-clockwise by a spring 26. The two blades of each drum are mounted 180 apart and the drums are so disposed that the tucking blade on one 3,006,634 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 drum mates with the creasing blade on the other drum to perform a fold. To control opening and closing of the creasing blade during rotation of the associated drum, respective covers 31 and 32 are secured by suitable screws to the body or frame 10 and are provided with respective cams 36 and 37 which serve to rock the creasing blade clockwise in each instance to an open position. The cam 36 is immediately ahead of the creasing position so as to open a space between the creasing blade 34 and the opposed wall 3 8 against which it is pressed to fold the tape, so that the associated tucking blade can insert the tape for folding.

Each cam 37 operates on the associated creasing blade 34- to open the creasing blade after it has creased the tape and to maintain it open during subsequent rotation of the drum until the creasing blade of the opposite drum has in turn gripped the paper to make a fold. The above mechanism is described in detail in said application.

Means are provided for permitting insertion and removal of the tape, and for this purpose two covers 31 and 32 are separated by a space 41 adjacent the meeting surfaces of the two drums 11 and 12. The drum 11 has its shaft 13 mounted in respective sleeve bearings 42 and 43 (FIGURE 4), the bearing 42 being mounted in a boss 44 of the body 10 having an internal bore of greater diameter than the sleeve 42 and having a pair of rubber inserts 45 (FIGURES 4 and 6) urging the shaft =13 and the drum 11 toward the drum 12, in the closed condition of the drums. The bearing 43 at the upper end is carried by a threaded sleeve extension 46 of an adjusting knob 47 journalled in the cover 31 for rotation through between respective stops 48 engaged by a pin 49 projecting from the knob 47. A retaining nut 50 engages the extension 46. The knob 47 carries a pair of cylindrical rubber inserts 45 in the same manner as the inserts 45 at the lower end of the shaft '13. As seen in FIGURE 6, where the adjustment is for the closed condition of the drums, the knob 47 is in position to secure feeding of tape between the drums,

and the bearing sleeve 43 is in off center position with respect thereto with its center to the left of the center line of the drums. In FIGURE 7 the knob 47 has been rotated 180, the eccentricity of the sleeve 43 with respect to the knob 47 moves it on the opposite side of the center line and produces a tapered opening between the drums 11 and 12 as indicated in FIGURE 5, the tilting of the drum 11 serving to provide sufficient freedom of movement of the tape for its insertion or removal, without interfering with the meshing of the gears 16. Knob 55 (FIGURES 1 and 4) is secured on shaft 14 of the drum 12 to provide for turning of the drums to free the tape from a set of blades when necessary.

Means are provided to permit feeding of the tape from the side of the machine, from above the machine, or from below the machine. As seen in FIGURE 2, the tape 51 may be received first over a roller 52 carried by an arm 53, pivoted at 54 in a bracket 56. This bracket 56 carries a second roll 57 coaxial with the pivot 54 of the arm 53 and also carries an inclined roll 58 of greater length over which the tape can be passed from above or below and then extends horizontally to a roll 59 carried by a shaft 61 projecting up from a movable tape responsive arm 62 controlling the starting and stopping of the motor 18 in a manner disclosed in said application. The pivotal arm 53 provides a certain predetermined available slack of tape through its weight. By pulling on the tape and lifting the arm 53, an operator can be allowed a slack amount of tape for adjustment in the teletype machine. Means are provided for storing the fanfolded tape and for removing the tape from the folding mechanism so as to avoid accidental pick up of the tape by the folding 3. mechanism. The tape 51 is discharged across a stationary platform 66 suitably mounted on the frame of the machine and shaped to provide .a tapering nose extendinginwardly between the drums 11 and 12 below the level at which tape is fed therethrough, the tape being received edgewise on this. platform. From the platform 66, the tape is received on one of a pair of horizontal belts 67 carried by respective drums 68 on an extension or plate 69 of the frame. The respective belts 67 are disposed in suitable; slots of the plate 69. One set'of these drums 68 are driven by a motor 70 at a speed slightly in excess of; the speed of egress of the tape from the folding drums so that any tape discharged has a slight feeding or pulling action imparted thereto at a rate in excess of its actual feed from through the drums, so that a slight-frictional drag occurs between the tape and the belt 67. The belt 67 projects slightly above the other supporting surfaces for the tape including an open tray or hopper 76 having respective side walls 77 and bottom portions 78, 79 and 80 disposed respectively between and at either side of the belts 67. Feeding of the tape to the belt is facilitated by respective stripping blades 81 and 82 which extend in the respective slots 83 in the drums so as to effectively remove the tape therefrom and positively direct it toward the conveyor 67 The above arrangement of a horizontally disposed table or conveyor for receiving the fanfolded tape provides for use of any static charge, thereon by making the tape cling more tightly to its support rather than to cause interference with the feed of the tape. As seen in FIG- URE 3, the fanfolded tape is gradually accumulated on the storage platform or in the storage hopper comprising the tray 76, and when folding of a length of tape is completed, it can be removed from the machine by lifting of the tray 76 therefrom which is seated freely on the platform, extension 69 of the frame. If desired, the fanfolder, which is shown in horizontal position in the vari ous views, can be suitably supported in a vertical position so that the drums 11 and 12 have horizontal axis and so that the supporting platform 69 and the tape hopper or; tray 76 are disposed in vertical position and the tape will then fall in folded condition against an end wall 83 ofthe tray 76. In this position any static electricity on thetape Will cause it to cling slightly to the belt 67 thereby facilitating its feeding downwardly along the side surface ,into a; deposited position on the wall 83. When the-fan-folder is in this vertical position suitable means is provided for securing the tray 76 relea'sably on the platform 69.

It will be further noted that the fanfolding machine provides in effect an. accumulating structure comprising the hopper, 76 wherea substantial length of tape can be accumulated in folded condition. By suitable construction of thesize and length of the hopper 76, it is apparent that any quantity. of tape can be accumulated therein, and for example withrespect to Teletype tape received from. a Teletype machine operating at approximately seventy. words per minute, a hopper of about fifteen to twenty inches inslength can accumulate a twentyfour hour run of tapefor-subsequent use or for-storage. Where the tape is tobeusedsubsequently for re-transmission on another Teletype machine, the end of the tape canbe withdrawn from the hopper 76 and fed directly. to the re-transmitter,

While .we have shown anddescribed certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is. capable of variation and modification from the form shown, so that its ,scopeshould be limited only. by the scope of the. claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. In a fanfolding mechanism, a frame, folding mechanism on said' frame, said frame including parts providing-a passage for tape'through the folding mechanism with the passage open at one side to provide for removal of tape from saidmachine throughsaid one open side,

a horizontal platform disposed immediately adjacentsaid folding mechanism for directly receiving tape passing through the folding mechanism, and conveyor means on said platform for exerting a feeding action on the folded tape received from thefolding mechanism, whereby the presence of static electricity on thetapedoes not interfere with its progress.

2. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape of the type commonly employed in Teletype communication systems wherein the width and weight of the tape is such that when charged with static electricity it will adhere edgewise to an adjacent'surface, a housing, folding mechanism within said housing, said housing including parts providing a horizontal passage for tape through the folding mechanism with the passage open at its upper side, horizontally extending tape receiving means forfanfolded tape passing through the folding mechanism, and conveyor means associated with said tape receiving means for engaging an edge of the tape and for exerting a feeding action on the folded tape received from the folding mechanism, whereby the presence of any static electricity on the tape causes adherenceof the tape to. the conveyor means.

'3. In a fanfolding mechanism for papertape of the type commonly employed in communication systems wherein the width and weight of the tape is, such that when charged with static electricity'it will adhere edgewise to an adjacent surface, a housing, folding mechanism within said housing, said housing including parts provid ing a passage for tape through the folding mechanism with the passage open at one side, tape receiving means for fanfolded tape passing through the folding mechanism, "and conveyor means associated with said tape receiving means forengaging an edge of the tape and for exerting a feeding action on the folded tape received from the folding mechanism, whereby the presence of any static electricity on the tape causes adherence of the tape to the conveyor means.

between said drums on the exit side of the tape, storage means positioned to receive tape from the drumswith the tape positioned edgewise thereon and lengthwise of said mechanism, a groove in each of said drums, and a pair of tape stripping elements carried by said housing and extending into the grooves of the respective drums to insure theremoval of tape therefrom.

5. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape of the type commonly employed in teletype communication systems wherein the width and weight of the tape is such that when charged with static electricity it will adhere edgewise to the adjacentsurface, a housing, folding mechanism within said housing, means for operating said folding mechanism including a movable control lever responsive to the tension on the-tape to determine the on and off condition of the operating means, said housing including parts providing a horizontal passage for tape through the folding mechanism with the passage open at its upper side, horizontally extending tape receiving means for fanfolded tape passing through the folding mechanism, and conveyor means associated with said tape receiving means for engaging an edge of the tape and for exerting a feeding action on the folded tapereceived from the folding mechanism, whereby the presence of any static electricity on the tape causes adherence of the tapeto the conveyor means.

6. In a fanfolding mechanism, a housing, a pair of fanfolding'dru-ms mounted in said housingabout vertical axes, a drive connection between saidzdrums located and connected thereto at the lower side thereof, means for operating said; fanfolding drums including a movable control element responsive to the tension of the tape to control the on and off condition of said operating means, a platform having a V-shaped nose extending into the V-shaped space between said drums on the exit side of the tape, storage means positioned to reserve tape from the drums with the tape positioned edgewise thereon and lengthwise of said mechanism, a groove in each of said drums, and a pair of tape stripping elements carried by said housing and extending into the grooves of the respective drums to insure the removal of tape therefrom.

7. In a fanfolding mechanism for paper tape, means for producing successive fanfolds of the tape including means for feeding the tape therethrough and also for discharging the tape positioned with its width extending vertically, conveying means for receiving tape from said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 465,522 Earle et al Dec. 22, 1891 663,667 Ross et a1. Dec. 11, 1900 1,791,569 Novich Feb. 10, 1931 2,057,879 Campbell Oct. 20, 1936 2,859,961 Allen Nov. 11, 1958 

